Christmas Carver
by FeistyFeral
Summary: A man is brutally murdering young, single mothers in Buffalo. The team is sent in to find and stop the Unsub before more women are killed. Rated M to be safe for later chapters. Please R&R! Reid/JJ & Morgan/Garcia.
1. Bloodbath

_**Hi everyone!**_

_**I'm back! I just wrote this one on the fly because I want to see what kind of response I get from all of you. I haven't decided if I'm going to continue writing this one or not, I'll leave that up to you.**_

_**F.Y.I.-- I don't like Rossi's character so I'm still using Gideon ;)**_

_**Please don't for get to R&R! Thanks!**_

_****I own nothing, nor do I make any money off these stories.****_

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**"Everything can change at any moment, suddenly and forever." - Paul Auster**

**Chapter 1--Bloodbath**

_Two dollars?! A two dollar tip on a hundred dollar bill? _Kristin McKinnon sighed as she pocketed the money and ran a hand through her short brown hair, _How am I supposed to pay for rent and food and diapers this month? _Her mind flashed to an image of her two year old daughter, Sophie, and she felt her gut clench as her heart soared; a mix of dread for her financial situation and unconditional love for her child; the only good thing that came out of an abusive relationship.

She looked over to the only other table she had; a lone man drinking his third glass of water _I'm not making a tip off this one either, _she concluded; after all, water was free. This man was a server's worst nightmare; creepy and not buying anything.

"You aren't going to make any money just standing there, Kristin," snapped her manager. "Get back to work."

"Sorry, Shawna," she replied with her eyes cast downwards to hide the hatred that was sure to be flashing in her eyes. She snatched an armful of dirty dishes off the table and expertly balanced them on her way to the dish pit in the back.

Six hours later, Kristin walked out of the restaurant with all of her tips for the night—a devastating $20. She pulled her jacket up around her neck and shivered against the blistering, snowy wind as she made her way to the bus stop whereupon she stopped short; the creepy water guy was waiting for the same bus as her. _If he can't afford a cup of pop than he surly can't afford a car, Kristin! Lots of people take the bus!_

As she waited, creepy water guy kept staring at her, making her nervous. The bus finally came and she waited for him to sit down before choosing her seat far away from him. They both got off downtown but most people did anyways to catch their other bus connections. She hurried to catch the 35; the bus that would take her almost to her small, dingy apartment.

She sat down and quietly groaned as pain shot down her spine and into her feet.

"Hi."

Kristin's head snapped up as creepy water guy sat beside her, "Hi," she replied, politely nodding before putting her earphones in; an international sign for '_do not talk to me_'.

"Aren't you the waitress from the restaurant?"

She pretended she couldn't hear him as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

"I know you can hear me."

Kristen began to lightly bob her head as if keeping time to the music from her dead mp3 player.

"Don't ignore me!" he nearly yelled, causing a couple people to glance his way before quickly looking away.

She pulled an earphone out, "Look, Sir, I just finished a long day and I'm not really in a chatty mood." The earphone was put back into her ear as she began to quietly hum her favourite song. Creepy water guy said something that sounded like, "You have condemned yourself," but she convinced herself that she must have misheard him. She pulled the string and the bus stopped; she and her unwanted companion got off the bus and that's when she started to get nervous until he took one last angry look at her and stalked off in the opposite direction. She waited until he turned a corner before she walked into her apartment building and took the elevator up to the 15th floor.

She walked down the dim hallway and knocked on door 1546.

The door opened and an elderly woman stepped out into the hall with one shriveled hand over her heart, "Kristin! I thought something happened to you! You're late. You're never late!"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Santora but I was a bit late leaving work and I had to wait awhile for my bus."

"Why didn't you call me with your cell phone child? You know how I worry!"

Kristin hung her head, "I couldn't afford to pay that bill last month so they cut it off."

"Oh child," the woman sighed as she hugged the young woman, "I know how tough times are for you right now, but things will pick up at the restaurant soon enough."

"I hope so."

"They will. Have a little faith. You will be back on your feet in no time."

"Thank you Mrs. Santora. How was Sophie today?"

"She was perfect, as always. If only mine were as good as her all those years ago."

Kristin laughed, "She is a great toddler. She rarely gives me any trouble. I'm so lucky to have her."

"You are. Come in and I'll wake her for you."

The two women stepped into the apartment as Sophie ran around the corner, chestnut curls flying, "Mama!" she laughed.

Kristin scooped her daughter into her arms and nuzzled her neck, "Hi Baby, how are you?"

"Good Mama. Go home now Mama?" she asked as she played with her mother's hair.

"Go get your blanket and we'll go home."

The child wiggled out of her mother's arms and went off in search of her blanket. Kristin chuckled to herself before pulling a few bills out of her back pocket, "This is for last week Mrs. Santora."

The older woman shook her head, "No. You keep that for now."

"That's not right. I'm paying you to take care of my daughter."

"Pay me when you have the extra money, besides, I love watching Sophie! She keeps me company all day and makes sure I don't get into too much trouble."

"This isn't right," Kristin repeated.

"If you must pay me, do it when you have a little more money. I know you will pay me when you can."

"Thank you Mrs. Santora."

"Tank you Mrs. Sant'ra!" echoed a little voice.

"Okay Monkey! Come here, let's get you home and into bed! Say goodnight."

Sophie reached out and hugged the elderly woman, giving her a wet kiss on the cheek, "Night night!"

"Goodnight love."

"Thanks again."

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you tomorrow around the same time?"

"Yeah, I'll drop Sophie off around noon."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Kristin took the elevator to the 17th floor and entered her apartment, closing and locking the deadbolt behind her. She bathed Sophie before reading her a book and putting her into her new 'big girl' bed. She turned on the nightlight before closing the door halfway. She made her way into the kitchen and sat down at the table to try and figure out how to pay some of her bills.

Forty minutes later she sat back and sighed; she had found a way to pay for next month's rent. The floor creaked in her bedroom and she froze, listening, "Soph?" she gently called before shaking her head.

Kristin stood up and stretched until she heard her bedroom door squeak and the back of her neck prickled, "Sophie?" She left the kitchen and walked down the miniscule hallway, stopping outside her daughter's room, noticing the toddler sleeping peacefully. She stood there for a few minutes enjoying the peace her daughter brought to her soul before returning to the kitchen to put the bills away.

As she placed the bills into a neat pile she felt warm air on the back of her neck; she gasped and spun around to find creepy water guy standing behind her with a menacing sneer on his face, "I told you not to ignore me." Kristin opened her mouth to scream when the man raised a large hunting knife into the air and shushed her, "Now, now, we don't want to wake up the baby, do we?"

"Please, I'm sorry. Take whatever you want. Take the T.V. My wallet's in my purse over there," she gasped, pointing to the table by the front door.

"I will take what I want, unfortunately, it's nothing material. I want your body and if you scream, I _will _kill your child. If you're quiet, I'll spare her. Turn around."

Her mind screamed for her to fight back but her body complied; her mother's instinct willing to do anything to keep her child safe…

* * *

Emily winced as she watched JJ almost run into Hotch's office.

"What's up Emily?" Derek Morgan asked.

"JJ just practically ran into Hotch's office."

Morgan sighed, "It's going to be a bad one."

Hotch emerged from his office a short time later with JJ hurrying off to the conference room, "Briefing room, two minutes," he announced to the bull pen.

"It's a bad one," Morgan sighed.

"Yeah," Emily agreed.

All of the agents began gathering what they would need for the briefing of their next case before heading to the conference room.

Once in the room everyone took their usual seats and waited to be bombarded by brutal photos and other evidence of unspeakable crimes.

JJ stood and began to brief the agents, "I was contacted by a homicide detective in Buffalo. They've had two rape/murders in as many weeks. The first victim was Julia Smythe, 24. A waitress at a local chain restaurant; she was last seen leaving work on December 6th and no one saw her again until the Super went to check on her after she didn't show up to work on the 8th. He found her bound and gagged on her kitchen table. She had been raped before being gutted with a hunting knife. He cut her from her throat to her pubic bone while she was still alive, watched her bleed to death and then left the apartment."

"How do they know he watched her die?" Morgan asked.

JJ clicked the remote in her hand and a picture appeared on the screen, "There are two footprint voids in the blood which means he waited until the blood had somewhat coagulated before moving from his spot."

"Wouldn't someone notice a guy walking around with bloody shoes?" Emily spoke up.

Another picture appeared on the screen, "He walked to the sink and appears to have washed his shoes before leaving the building."

"Security footage?" Gideon inquired.

"None, she lived in a controlled rent building which means no cameras."

Reid sat back in his chair and paled, "Where was the child?"

Everyone looked at him as he nudged some crime scene photos forward; a crib, playpen, children's books and toys.

JJ unconsciously rubbed a hand over her lower abdomen, "The victim's child, a 23 month old girl was at the victim's mother's house for the weekend."

"Witnesses?" asked Gideon.

"None. The police scoured the building and surrounding areas but no one saw anything or anyone out of the ordinary."

"Evidence?"

"Not much. He wears a size 12 shoe."

The older man sighed, "That's it?"

"No prints, no fibers, no semen left behind and no one can tell if anything is missing from the apartment. The mother hasn't been able to enter the place where her daughter was murdered." She took a breath before continuing, "The second victim was Kristin McKinnon, 23, also a waitress at a chain restaurant. She was last seen by her neighbour who watched her 2 year old daughter while she was at work on the 16th and her landlord discovered her body after the victim's work and neighbour called when she didn't show up to drop off her daughter or to work her shift. It appears the unsub tied her to her kitchen table before raping her. The local M.E. says he began to cut her before the kitchen table broke and our victim somehow managed to crawl just outside her daughter's room before he cut her throat and she bled out."

Hotch cleared his throat, "The daughter?"

JJ glanced down before looking him in the eye, "The first officer on the scene discovered her covered in her mother's blood. It appears she woke up soon after her mother was killed and crawled under her arm to lie beside her."

"How long was she there?"

"At least 12 hours. She's in the hospital being treated for shock."

Silence filled the room as minds worked to digest the information and tempers struggled to be controlled. Gideon pinched the bridge of his nose, Morgan's jaw worked, Emily clenched and unclenched her fist, Hotch's stoic expression barely covered the anger bubbling beneath the surface, Reid stared blankly at the case file and JJ worked on steadying her breathing.

"Witnesses?" Reid inquired.

"None."

"Evidence?"

"Just some bloody footprints and a smudge print on the wall where he cut the victim's throat but it's not enough to run. They can barely get three points from it."

"What kind of shoes?"

"Steel toed shoes. It's a brand that is widely available for anyone looking to buy that type of shoe from workplaces to Wal Mart. The shoe is a dead end."

After a few moments Hotch cleared his throat, "Buffalo appears to have a killer targeting young, low income Caucasian mothers. He attacks them in their apartments where he rapes them before gutting them and watching them bleed to death."

"We can assume he's a sexual sadist which means he's probably a white male between 25-45," Emily contributed.

"He blends into his surroundings because no one seems to notice anything out of the ordinary; he's careful, meticulous because he doesn't leave evidence behind except with his last victim because the table broke and she left the kitchen causing him to change his plan on the fly," Gideon added.

"He left boot prints because he knew they'd be untraceable. We can also assume that if he is working, he does some kind of physical labour because he has to be strong enough to overpower these women and cut through a lot of tissue and muscle," continued Morgan.

"These aren't his only crimes; he's had practice, time to almost perfect his trade. Garcia should check for similar crimes nationwide because eviscerating a person is something that will get the local police's attention. This type of killer won't stop until he is caught or killed," finished Reid.

"The local P.D. have asked us to come and help them solve this one before more women die. We're flying because it'll be faster. Wheel's up in 20," Hotch concluded as he stood and left the room with the other's following him.

Reid rose form his chair and stood beside his wife, placing his hand on the small of her back, "You okay?"

"We need to get him Spence. We need to get him."

"We will."

"I know, but how many more women are going to be killed before that?"

"Too many."

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_**Okay everyone, that's it for now... **_

_**Don't forget to R&R or else I won't know whether to continue writing or not! Thanks!!**_

_**FiestyFeral**_


	2. Introductions & Revelations

_**First of all, I'd like to say thank you for all of the story adds, wonderful reviews and 'welcome backs' that I got. It was beyond incredible!! Thank you!!**_

_**Now, here's my plan. I'm writing this one as I go so I plan on posting a new chapter every week/every other week. I'm always open to any questions/comments/suggestions that you may have so please send them my way!**_

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I never have.**_

**Chapter 2—Introductions & Revelations**

Upon landing in Buffalo, the agents made quick work of loading their 'go bags' into the waiting black SUV's before heading off to the police station.

Thirty minutes later the agents entered the station amidst many curious gawkers and outright glares. JJ led them into the bull pen and zeroed in on the man approaching them, "Detective Matthews?"

He smiled and held out his hand, "Yes. You must be JJ."

"I am." Starting from her left and sweeping her hand to the right she introduced her coworkers, "These are Agents Jason Gideon, Derek Morgan, Emily Prentiss, Dr. Spencer Reid, and Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner."

"Hi guys, thanks for coming. I'm Sam Matthews, the lead investigator on this case." He sighed, "I'm not going to lie to you; a lot of my coworkers aren't pleased that I brought the F.B.I. into the fold, but two women being killed by this person is too many in my books and we aren't getting anywhere with what we've got."

Gideon stepped forward and placed a hand on the weary detective's shoulder, "Don't worry, Detective, we're here to help you narrow down your suspect pool and capture this unsub…hopefully before any more women get hurt."

"Thank you, Agent Gideon."

"It's Jason."

"Fair enough. Everyone here calls me Sam and I hope you will all do the same."

JJ cleared her throat, "Is there somewhere that we can set up?"

"I've set up our conference room for you. Copies of the case files are in the room along with whiteboards and two telephone lines for your use. Coffee is down the hall; if you need anything else just give me a shout."

The team moved off without another word; completely focused on the case and the looming clock counting down over their heads.

JJ turned to the detective, "Has the press gotten wind of this yet, Sam?"

"No, but it's just a matter of time. It's only going to take one leak for the dam to burst."

"I was thinking of putting together a press release."

"Won't that cause mass panic?"

"No, I'm going to try and phrase it as mildly as possible while still warning the public as strongly as I can. If the press gets wind of this before we make an announcement there's going to be chaos, hysteria and the _correct_ information will be lost amongst the theories and false facts."

"What does your boss think about this?"

"He wants to make an announcement but he also wants you to be on board with it."

Detective Matthews paused, rubbing his index finger over his bottom lip for a moment before meeting her eyes again, "I want to read the statement before it's released, but other than that I think I'll let you do your thing; I'm better at solving crimes than appeasing the media," he announced as he popped an antacid and chewed on it ravenously.

JJ smirked, "Thank you. I'll get started on it and have it on your desk in a little while. Hopefully we can make the 6 o'clock news."

~*~Conference Room~*~

Everyone filed in and began to set up the room; Reid took a map of Buffalo and began using pins to colour-code various sites on the map, Emily began taping pictures of the victims and crime scenes onto a wall, Derek began writing brief facts about both victims on the whiteboard in a comparison chart while Gideon and Hotch delved into the case files once more.

Morgan's phone rang and he flipped it open, "Talk to me, Baby Girl."

"Derek, when you find this man, I want you to kill him for me in the slowest, most painful way your mind can conjure up."

He rubbed his head, mentally noting that he needed to shave it again soon, "That's not the way it works and you know it."

"Yes, but sometimes I think it would be a lot easier if it were," she sighed.

"Me too. What have you got for me, beautiful?"

"You're not going to like it."

Morgan sat down and pulled out a notebook, "Lay it on me."

"I've found similar murders dating all the way back twenty-two years ago up until these last two murders."

"How many?"

"Thirty four so far."

"Thirty four?!" Morgan exclaimed loud enough to gain him the full attention of the team in the room. "Hang on; I'm going to put you on speakerphone." He pressed a button, "Tell them what you just told me."

"After you guys left for Buffalo I started searching for similar crimes and so far I've come up with thirty four over the past twenty-two years that match your two most recent victims almost to a tee."

"Oh my God," Emily murmured.

"God has nothing to do with this evil doer my raven haired crime fighter," Garcia amended.

"How could no one have noticed this until now?" Gideon muttered to himself.

"Well Sir, because they don't have me. These crimes have been spread out over almost every state we have in our red, white and blue land and because he usually doesn't kill in the same state, let alone the same city until now."

"Why the sudden change?" Reid wondered aloud to himself.

"I don't know my young egghead, but I've also found something else that concerns me."

Hotch rubbed a hand over his face, "What is it?"

"When he started out killing there were large gaps in between victims. This time period shortened over the years."

"Yeah, that's what usually happens…"

"And his waiting period would continue to shorten, correct?"

"Yes until he couldn't find his victim type as quickly, then he would probably take any woman that fit his fantasy."

"That's what I thought." Silence enveloped the room.

"Garcia?" Emily prompted.

"Right. Sorry. See, there are some inconsistencies." Keys could be heard clacking rapidly over the line, "For instance, in 1994 he would kill once every three to four months. He killed a woman named Norma Murphy of Detroit on December 24th but then he drops off the map for over a year before killing another woman in Toledo, Ohio in January of 1996."

"That doesn't make sense Garcia," Gideon said while sitting up, "This man cannot control himself. He would have killed again without exception unless he was in jail. You must have missed something."

"With all do respect Sir, I didn't miss anything. I've checked and rechecked every search I've preformed and he vanished for almost 13 months in 1995-1996." More keys clicking, "The same thing happens again when he kills a woman in late December of 1999 in Rochester then he vanishes from then until another victim is killed in mid January of 2001."

Reid frowned, "When was the last time he vanished?"

"His last kill was mid December 2004 and he was gone again until late January 2006."

Everyone sat back to assimilate the information and puzzle over it until Reid's incessant whispering drew their attention, "Spence?" When he didn't respond to his name JJ leaned across the table to touch his hand.

He jumped; startled out of his private thoughts, "I've g-got a theory."

"Let's hear it," Hotch replied.

"Every five years our Unsub vanishes for a year and Garcia is the best."

"Thanks junior G-man, but I don't see how the two relate," Garcia's voice floated through the speaker with her smile somehow reaching all of their ears.

Reid's lips moved silently for a few beats before he jumped up and pulled a world map from his messenger bag, explaining his theory as he pinned it onto the wall, "He disappears every five years and does nothing for a little over a year. The first time he was in Detroit," he pointed to the location on the map before placing a pin in its place, "The next time he was in Rochester," he points to the second location before adding a second pin, "And now, the fifth year in this cycle, he's here in Buffalo," he concluded adding the third pin.

"Damn!" Morgan's hand slapped the desk, "This guy's going to Houdini on us by the end of the month and we're only just starting to scratch the surface!"

"B-but I think I might have just figured out a way to catch him," he squeaked.

"Spencer!" Gideon sighed in mild frustration, "Speak in full, coherent sentences and verbally connect Point A to Point B because none of us are following you."

"O-okay. Sorry. Every five years he disappears for thirteen months, right?"

"Yes," Hotch sighed knowing nothing on Earth could make Spencer Reid get to his point any faster. He would just have to listen to his rambling until he revealed his brilliant revelation.

"And Garcia couldn't find a trace of him here during all of those thirteen month periods, right?"

"You can stop pointing out my shortcomings now Reid," Garcia muttered.

"No, but don't you see?" he glanced around the room as if it should be painfully obvious, but he was only met with blank stares. "Okay, you don't see. The re-reason Garcia couldn't find any trace of him is because he wasn't here!"

Morgan growled, "He isn't magical, Reid! He can't just disappear!"

"Think of the cities he was in right before he disappeared: Detroit, Rochester and now Buffalo!" He looked at them expectantly as he tried to catch his breath.

Emily shot forward in her chair, "They're all right by the Canadian border!"

"Exactly!" Reid shouted before collapsing back into his chair.

"Wait a minute," Hotch said holding up a hand, "You're saying that you think that our Unsub crossed over into Canada and lived there for a year before coming back here?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Hotch! That's why Garcia couldn't find him during those times; she wasn't looking outside our borders!"

Hotch frowned, "That's incredibly abnormal."

"It's plausible," Gideon groaned. "He can't just stop killing, but if he was in the U.S. then Garcia would have found some trace of him."

"This is going to be a logistical nightmare," Emily moaned.

"The press is going to have a field day," JJ grumbled as she put her head in her hands.

"Thank you Garcia, we'll call you if we need anything else. Good work," Hotch said as he motioned for Morgan to end the call, "We need Detective Matthews in here right now. This is going to be one of the biggest cases we've ever faced and we're going to need all hands on deck. JJ, can you bring him here?"

"Sure," she said as she got up from her seat, smoothing her skirt as she made her way to the lead detective's desk.

Less than a minute later both people were in the room and seated. Hotch explained everything to the detective.

At the end of the explanation Detective Matthews sat back in his chair, "Jesus help us all," he whispered as he rubbed his index finger along his lower lip.

The team waited a couple of minutes for the information to be absorbed before Emily smirked, "We have the advantage. He doesn't know that we know about him; about all of his victims, how long he's been doing this, his border crossings…"

"We can catch him here in Buffalo or when he tries to cross the border," Matthews finished.

_**That's it for this chapter!**_

_**Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Click on the button that says 'review' and send them my way!!**_

_**Please don't forget to R&R!!**_

_**Cheers,**_

_**FiestyFeral**_


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